Functional Diversity of Microbial Communities in Soils in the Vicinity of Wanda Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula

Microbial functional diversity in four soils sampled in the vicinity of Wanda Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula, was determined using Biolog EcoPlates at 5 degrees C and 25 degrees C. Comparisons of the patterns of substrate utilization and the diversity index showed differences in community composition, reflecting the heterogeneous distribution of microorganisms in this environment. Differences in microbial diversity may be related to soil chemical properties. Higher incubation temperature influenced the overall microbial diversity, reducing richness due to the selection of psychrotrophic microorganisms. To our knowledge, this is the first study with microbial communities from Wanda Glacier and contributes to understanding the microbial diversity of Antarctic environments.